THE PORT AUTHORITY OF NY & NJ

Press Release Article

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has received the 2005 New Jersey Historic Preservation Award for the relocation and restoration of Newark Liberty International Airport’s historic Building One. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection presented the award on May 7 at a ceremony at the New Jersey State House in Trenton.

The 69-year-old Building One was moved in 2001 nearly three-quarters of a mile west of its original location, which became the site of a runway extension that would have placed the building within a restricted zone. The building was broken up into three pieces, and it took 176 mechanical dollies at an estimated rate of 100 feet per hour to move the building to its current site, where it was incorporated into the airport’s new administration building.

Port Authority Chairman Anthony R. Coscia said, “For many years, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Historic Preservation Office has ensured that historic landmarks are maintained and preserved. We at the Port Authority are pleased that DEP has recognized the meticulous work and discipline our engineers and architects practiced to keep the building intact during the move. Designated for a time as Building 51, Building One is a significant part of aviation history. It served millions of passengers until its retirement in 1953, and was named a National Historic Landmark in 1979. Preserving it for future generations was and is a worthwhile and valuable endeavor.”

Port Authority Executive Director Kenneth J. Ringler Jr. said, “Building One was not only the first passenger terminal in the nation, it housed the country’s first air traffic control tower. In 1935, aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart dedicated Building One at what is now Newark Liberty International Airport. This magnificent structure is still in service today, part of a state-of-the-art facility that houses Port Authority Police, a garage for emergency vehicles, administrative offices and a museum with exhibits showcasing the airport’s rich history.”

Department of Environmental Protection Assistant Commissioner for Natural and Historic Resources John S. Watson, Jr. said, “Preserving a piece of history recognizes, saves and enhances the irreplaceable features that give each community its distinctive character. This year’s award recipients are models for historic preservation in New Jersey and their communities.”

For many years, Building One was the centerpiece of an airport that pioneered many other aviation firsts, including the nation’s first paved runway, first runway lighting, which permitted nighttime operations, and first airport weather station.

Newark Liberty International Airport staff has won numerous awards for its efforts to preserve Building One. They include: the Newark Preservation and Landmark Committee’s 2004 Donald Dust Recognition Award; on October 17, 2003, the Society of Registered Architects Design and Special Recognition award for Superior Achievement and Professional Design Excellence; and in March 2003, the U.S. Department of Transportation FAA Eastern Region recognized the airport for its proactive and successful preservation efforts to save and restore the nation’s first terminal building;

The Port Authority has shown a commitment to preserving historical landmarks throughout its facilities. Last year, the agency spent $6.5 million to rehabilitate the historic Marine Air Terminal at LaGuardia Airport, and has committed a significant investment toward the restoration and rehabilitation of the landmark TWA Flight Center, also known as Terminal 5, at John F. Kennedy International Airport.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey operates many of the busiest and most important transportation links in the region. They include John F. Kennedy International, Newark Liberty International, LaGuardia and Teterboro airports; AirTrain JFK and AirTrain Newark; the George Washington Bridge and Bus Station; the Lincoln and Holland tunnels; the three bridges between Staten Island and New Jersey; the PATH (Port Authority Trans-Hudson) rapid-transit rail system; the Port Authority-Downtown Manhattan Heliport; Port Newark; the Elizabeth-Port Authority Marine Terminal; the New York Container Terminal on Staten Island; the Brooklyn Piers/Red Hook Container Terminal; and the Port Authority Bus Terminal in midtown Manhattan. The agency also owns the 16-acre World Trade Center site in Lower Manhattan.

The Port Authority is financially self-supporting and receives no tax revenue from either state.